Well, I am about busted for now. Thought I was on to something with Cadwallader and the Fitzalan's. Found an interconnecting weave between the richest Norman families of the mid 1200's and Robert II of Scotland. Grinding through hundreds of references and no solid connections becomes quite frustrating.

Found that there was also a great inter-mixing of Norman families and that John le Scot Earl of Huntingdon's wife's mother was a de Montfort and either Simon de Montfort's aunt or, more likely, great-aunt. His wife's father was of Norman descent, Earl of Chester and born at Keviliock in Wales.

Tracing relationships amongst these families was enough to make my head spin but I saw enough to know categorically that the family relationships between the Bohun, Marshall and Clare families made for strong alliances at least in Simon de Montfort's day - it is easier to see how they all bonded together when you realise they were related.

When family feuds broke out though relationships meant nothing and Prince Cadwallader of Wales seems to have not only crossed swords with his brother Owain but also killed his brother in law Gilbert de Clare.

Before we despair at being descended from such an unlikable warlord I must hasten to note that the glorious name of Cadwallader is handed down from two earlier Cadwallader's and a Cadwallon - all Kings (not Princes) of North Wales. One of whom was a contemporary of, and might even have been, the legendry King Arthur. Cadwallader means "battle leader" and Arthur was so described

"Cadwaladr ap Meirchion, King of Meirionydd b.460

Nothing is known of King Meirchion Meirionydd's son, Cadwaladr, but he was a contemporary of King Arthur, living in the late 5th century. August Hunt, theorizes that the two are identical since Cadwaladr means "Battle-Leader," a name possibly rendered into Latin as the title used for Arthur by Nennius, Dux Bellorum.

According to August Hunt, this Cadwaladr has the right name, is at the right place and at the right time. He was not familiar with any other candidate for Arthur who fulfills these three conditions."

http://www.keithblayney.com/Blayney/KingArthur.html

All a bit of a romance but it is stange that one name out of many many known Welsh kings has been handed down with such reverence. Cadwallader has almost as much mystical fervour as the legendary "Arthur" and the banners and shields of Cadwallader bear the motif "cross pattee fitche" and are known as such: "of Cadwallader". How mny other motifs are described by their name personified? Most are now merely designated by using heraldic terms. In the days when heraldry was the stuff of nobility everyone knew the shield markings of anyone of note, but now most of these devices are of curiosity and academic interest.

Somehow, however the "Cross of Cadwallader" has retained a deeper meaning than most. I also find that the same emblem (and colours) is on the shield of an English Caldwell family (that originating at Cauldwell (near Burton on Trent) - and it has been described as the "Cross de Maltha Caldwell" - it is also on one of the banners on the Great Seal of James I of Scotland.

Fascinating - but what can it mean? I frankly don't know and can only hazard the wildest of guesses.

The English Caldwell family of Cauldwell somehow saw in their name a similarity to Cadwallader and perhaps they had Welsh or British ancestry (not Danish). The shield was an allusion to the great battle leader who had a similar name. (Certainly give the "Cold-water" theory a run for its money).

The Fitzalan's came from the Welsh Border's near Oswestry. I cannot see where they actually had married into Welsh aristocracy. But Marjorie of Carrick who married the Brus was Celtic and the traditions of Arthur are just as strong in Strathclyde as in Wales (and Brittanny). If they "knew" then that Arthur and Cadwallader were one and the same hero of Celtic risistance then it might be appropriate for James I to flaunt this banner with that of Edgar who epitomised the Saxon side. (We should also recognise that Strathclyde Britons spoke a language very similar to that of the Welsh).

We don't know in our present time exactly who Arthur was. Geoffrey of Monmouth has a lot to answer for by creating a myth out of what was probably a series of unconnected word of mouth stories and written manuscripts since lost. Much embellished over the years they were probably founded on facts. On the other hand the stories were published and the other oral recollections gradually lost. Is it possible that Cadwallader's glorious reputation was based on similar deeds to the fables of Arthur but the details have been lost and all we have is a few "shrugworthy" details about Cadwallader and a name and device that seems to have a reputation much greater than the currently known and recorded facts.

I can only guess that perhaps in the days when heraldry was "king" more was known about Cadwallader than the present remembers. His shield and cross would then be recognised as the pinnacle of valour and inspire the British peoples from Brittany to Strathclyde - a symbol of Christianity and knightly valour when both these emotions meant so much to the communities of the time.

As I said when I started - I am "busted" and worn-out from two days searching for clues at the computer. The weather is fine (very hot), everyone is on holiday, I need some fresh air, I will have to stop talking to myself and wait for everyone to catch up after the silly season

Tom